Back-rest attachment for beds.



H. C. BEITZ.

BACK REST ATTACHMENT POR BEDS.

APPLIQATION FILED 11111.25, 1911.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

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BACK-REST ATTACHMYNT Fon BEDS.

To all whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. BErrZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in thercounty of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Back-Rest Attachments for Beds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and4 exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a body or back rest attachment for beds.

One. of the objects of the invention is to provide in a device of the class described including a pivoted arm at each side of the y bed, a worm and a Worm wheel for each arm, the worm and wheels being operatively connected whereby rotation of one of them will rotate the other so that both thearms for supporting the body of the patient will be lifted at the same speed and to the same elevation.

Another object is to provide, in a device of the class described, an operation mechanism all parts of which will move in unison thereby making a device easy of operation.

Another object is the provision of a device that can be adjusted to any width of bed.

Another object is the provision of means by which the device can be adjusted to the side rails of any make of bed particularly of the metal-type now extensively used, no matter what position the rails occupy, that is tosay, with regard to whether or not they may be occupying different positions in different makes of beds.

Another object is to provide means for securing a device of the class described to the side rails of a bed whereby, regardless of the particular disposition of said rails, the parts will always have substantially the same relation to the top of the bed.

Other minor objects and advantages will appear herein aided by the accompanying drawing in which reference characters correspond to those of the following specification.

Figure 1 is a plan yof portions of the two side rails of a bed showing my invention attached thereto. FigfQl `is an end elevation Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 25, 1911.

Serial No. 645,954.

side elevation of a part of the said mechanism. Fig. 5, in perspective, shows a part of the device with a portion of one of the side rails'of a bed in one of the posit-ions in which it is sometimes used, and Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the side rail inverted from that shown in Fig. 5 and in the position it is also sometimes used.

Before entering upon a detailed description of my back rest it may be stated that devices of this character of which I am aware at this time are of various forms of construction, more or less complicated, requiring usually separate and independent adjustments at each side of the bed, that is to say the structures are such that it is necessary to operate the parts at each side of the bed each by a distinct manual operation in order to permit the back rest to be lowered from its raised position for example. In other devices where both mechanisms are operated simultaneously, both in the raising and lowering movement, clumsy and complicated structures are employed that are not easy of operation and are costly yet flimsily built. Again, in most devices there is no means provided for readily attaching the device to the rails, their structure and design being such that they cannot be attached to beds of all makes. To better bring out what I mean it may be stated that in metal. beds now commonly used the side rails, usually of angle iron, are, in some instances, arranged with one of the limbs thereof lying horizontally, the other forming the outer side of the bar, while in others, again, this bar is given a quarter turn so that one of the' said limbs is a lower one, the other, as before, being the outer one. In both cases the angle formed by the limbs lies inward as will be more clearly pointed out herein. The structures usually provided in back rests are not such that they can be attached to the bars in either of the positions found and it eis one of the important purposes of the present invention to provide a structure that will admit of the attachment of my back rest to either of these forms or to others.

In thedrawing A A represent the side Patented. Dec. io, 1912.

bars of a bed, illustrated in the present inangles thereto. Extending up through the lower of each of these extensions D are set screws E by which to secure the said casting upon the side bars as will be described presently. Depending from the castings are two bearings F G, the latter being much longe-r than the former as shown in Fig. 3 both receiving a shaft H. One of these shafts H has a crank J as a part thereof but the other may also have a crank if desired. I provide a difference in length of said bearings in order to incline the shaft H at an angle do-wnwardly so that the crank J can be readily rotated without permitting the operators hand to st-rike the side bar. Secured on each shaft between the two bearings F, G, is a worm K. Each worm meshes with a worm-wheel segment L each in control of a tubular arm M both said arms forming the back rest. These arms, as shown in Fig. l, are each provided with a right angled extension N adapted to enter a piece of tubing O within which they are adjustable and in which they may be secured by means of b-olts I), for example. This arrangement provides for adjust-ing the arms N to any width of bed which of itself, however, I do not regard as new. Cast with each worm-wheel-Segment is a Short shaft R, Fig. 8, which in some of the claims will be referred to as shaft-extensions of the back-rest frame M N, whose outer end, Fig. 1,is provided with a right angled stem S adapted to enter the end of one of the arms and secured in place in any good manner, as for instance, by means of a pin T.y The casting B has an extension at its top, preferably projecting beyond the body thereof, which is in the form of an arm represented at U providing a housing or half bearing for said shaft R as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. It is observed that one of the worms and its worm-wheel-segment is stationed at each side of the bedl or at each side rail A and it is further observed that the entire operating mechanism is insideof the side bars A or entirely under the bed in both instances so that they will not be in the way of persons occupying or wor-king about the bed. The only parts outside the bars are the arms M which are not great-ly in the way ,since in practice when lying flat they extend very little above the top line of said bars. Since the threads -of the worms K lie at an angle to their axes of rotation, the shaft of each worm is disposed slightly at an angle, as shown in Fig. l, or at such an angleto the plane* of movement to the said worm-wheel-segments that the threads of the former will fully and properly engage the teeth of the latter. In effect, those parts of said threads that engage the teeth move in a plane parallel to the axis of the shafts R.

Besides the above there is a further and important purpose which is that of providing for the positive rotation of bot-h worms by manual rot-ation of but one of them. Upon the shaft H of one of the wormsor that having the crank J, is secured a sprocket V, Fig. 3, which is adjacent to said crank, and upon the other end of the shaft of the opposite worm is a similar f,procket vW there being a chain 2 to positively engage both of them. It is observed that the angle of inclination of the worms is identical, that is to say, the axes of the two shafts are parallel to one Vanothe-r and ,y

the lengt-hs of said shafts is such, or, rather, the position of the sprocket on each of them is such that the planes of both of them coincide so that the chain can run freely upon them, it being observed that the sprockets Y A in order to bring them into alinement are placed on opposite ends of their respective shafts. In t-he use. of the sprockets and chain I am enabled to transmit anv absolutely positive rotation to one of the Vworms through the manual operation of the other which is a necessity in order tol/produce the proper and uniform movement of thel worm-wheel-segments and arms Mor so that the latter will be held positively in the same plane at all elevations. Each worm-wheelsegment and its shaft R together with the stems S are preferably cast as a unit for convenience, and also to cheapen construction and simplify the act of assembling the i mechanism. Also by this construct-ion there can be no chance o-f a racking movement between the two arms M, thus assisting materially in stiffening the structure aided by the positive control through the connect-ed worm-mechanisms.

The castings B are necessarily righ-t and lefthand by reason of the fact that they are placed in opposite posit-ions on the side bars and that the axes of rotation of the Y worms are parallel to o-ne another as previously explained.

In practice I employ a series of straps 3 which are placed around the arms M after the manner of bands and held tight by any I shall now describe an important part of Y my invention and which has been previously referred to. As explained, each side bar A is either placed. in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6 with one of its limbs uppermost and lying in a horizontal plane, its other limb outermost and depending, as clearly shown, or said bars occupy an inverted position as shown in Figs. 4C and 5 in which one of the said limbs is lowermost and the other extends upward therefromat the outside. In devising a back rest for a bed which would be adaptable to both of these forms it has necessitated peculiar structures and means. In Fig. 3 it is observed that the extension Il projects beyond the body, as previously stated, its free end approaching the plane of the upper surface of the side bar A, the latter serving to close the opening in which the shaft It lies and forming a part of the bearing for said shaft. 'lhe space between the two extensions C D of the casting B is greater than the width of the bar A and also admits of receiving a filler 5 which is a casting that is inserted between the screws E and the said upper limb. By adjusting the screws the block clamps the upper limb of the bar against the said extension C. In Figs. 4 and 5, where the conditions are reversed, the bar A being inverted, the lower limb of the bar lies upon the screws while the block or filler 5 lies upon said limb and is clamped between the extension C and said limb by the adjustment of said screws. In either case the position of the shaft R o-f the worm-wheel-segment is of the bar. The block or Iilleris suiiiciently long to form the bearing for the shaft R in said Figs. 4 and 5 in place of the limb of the bar A as in Figs. 2 and 3.

It is now seen that full provision is made for the adjustment of my back rest to any of the forms of bed now made and not only is the device adapted to the present forms but it may also be placed upon wooden bedsteads by attaching a section of angle plate to the sides of the same and attaching the casting B thereto. I may make more or less exten.-

sive changes in the construction of my improved back-rest without changing the principle since my invention contemplates any equivalents of the parts described and shown. In some of the claims I shall refer to the arms M as having a bearing in the cast-ings B and provided with a segment gear it being evident that said arm and the shaft R are practically a single part, and as a matter of fact in making a device the arm and the worm-wheel-segment could be cas" in one piece. Therefore in order to simplify the claims I shall make reference to the arm in the manner stated.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. In combination with a bed frame, a

back rest pivoted thereon comprising a frame including two shaft-extensions, means secured on the bed-frame to carry each extension and constituting bearings for the same, a worm-wheel segment carried by each said extension, a worm in engagement with each worm-wheel segment and' journaled on said means, a chain-carrying member carried by each worm, and a chain extending between and having positive driving engagement with both members whereby in the 55 rotation of one of the worms a positive and the same y'ith reference to the upper edge equal extent of rotation will be imparted to the other worm.

2. In combination with a bed-frame, aA back-rest pivoted thereon comprising a frame including a shaft-extension at each side, means mounted on the bed-frame in which said extensions are pivotally mounty ed, a worm-wheel segment mounted on each shaft extension, a worm carried by each said means and having engagement with its respective worm-wheel segment, and including a drive wheel and means extending over bot-h drive wheels and having positive driving engagement with them.

3. The combination with a bed-frame, of a back-rest for the same including two shaft extensions, means for detachably securing the extensions upon the bed in a pivotal man-v ner, a worm-wheel segment carried by each shaft extension, a worin carried by each said means, a sprocket wheel rotatable with each worm, and a sprocket chain extending over both sprocket wheels and positively engaging them whereby positive rotation of one of the worms is effected through the rotation of the other.

4. In combination with a bed-frame, of a .Ll-shaped back-r-est for the same including two shaft extensions one at each free end and extending toward each other and terminating inside the frame of the bed, means to carry each said extension, one of them detachably secured at each side of the bed,

a worm-wheel segment carried rigidly by each shaft extension the segments lying parallel to one another, a worm in engagement with each worm-wheel segment, a sprocket wheel carried by each worm, and a chain running upon and engaging both of them.

5. In combination with the side bars of a bed-frame, of a part detachably secured to each said bar including a bearing, a movable frame having a shaft-extension at each side thereof carried in one of the bearings, a worm-wheel segment carried by each shaftextension and lying inside the said side bars,

a worm carried on each said part and engaging its respective worm-wheel segment, a sprocket wheel carried by each worm, and a chain positively engaging both sprocket wheels.

6. The combination with the side bars of a bed-frame, of a frame of two parts adjustable relatively, including two shaft-extensions, means to provide said adjustment, means detachably secured to each side bar and pivotally carrying one of the shaft-extensions, a worm-wheel segment carried by each said shaft extension inside each said bar, a worm carried by each said means, a single endless fiexible member, and means fixed relatively to each worm with which said member positively engages whereby to impart positive rotation to one of the worms by a rotation of the other.

7. In a back-rest for a bed-frame, the combination of a sup-porting frame including two shaft extensions, means secured to each side bar of the bed' and pivotally carrying one of said shaft extensions, a wormwheel segment carried by each said eXtension, a worm carried by each ysaid m-eans and engaging its respective worm-wheel segment, their axes of rotation lying at an angle to the plane of their respective worm# wheel segments and parallel to one another, a sprocket carried on one of the worms at one end thereof, a sprocket carried by the other of the worms at the opposite end thereof and a chain operatively engaging bot-h.

8. The combination with the side bar of a bed-frame, of a casting, means to secure it to said bar, said casting including a part to overlie the bar, and having a notch in its under side to constitute a shaft housing, an arm movable in a plane lying parallel t0 the bar, and having a shaft-portion eXtending from and lying at right angles to the arm and retainedy in the said notch and lying upon the bar, a. worm-wheel segment carried by the said shaft portion of said arm, and a Worm rotatably mounted on the casting and in engagement with the wormwheel.

9. As a new article of manufacture, the combination of a casting adapted to be secured to the side bar of a bed including a part overlying the said bar and provided with a notch in its lower side adjacent said bar, a rock-shaft seated in said notch and resting upon the bar, and provided with a worm wheel segment, an arm carried by and movable with the shaft, a worm rotatably mounted on the casting and in mesh with the worm-wheel segment, and meansto secure the casting to the bar.

In testimony whereof I atliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY C. BEITZ.

Witnesses:

GEO. KELLER, L. M. THURLOW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. C. 

